Blank check



(No Modem J. M. LAIQSDOWM. BLANK CHECK, DRAFT, 65o.

Patented 001;. 20; 18962.

Nmw non UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

.I AMES M. LANSDOIVNE, OF GREENVILLE, OHIO.

BLANK CHECK, DRAFT, 84C.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 569,973, dated October 20, 1896. Application filed July 25,1896x Serial No. 600,518. (N0 specimens.)

To all whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, J AMES M. LANsDoWNE, a citizen of the United States, residing at Greenville, in the county of Darke and State of Ohio, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Blank Checks, Drafts, or other Like Monetary lnstruments,of which the following is a specification, reference being had therein to the accompanying drawings.

My invention relates to an improved blank check, draft, or other similar monetary instrument; and it has for its object the provision of means whereby fraudulent raising of the amount inserted in the check or other instrument-is rendered impossible.

The invention Will first be described in connection with the accompanying drawings, and then pointed out in the claims.

Figure l of the drawings illustrates a blank draft constructed in accordance with my invention. Fig. 2 shows the draft filled out and cut to prevent raising.

In the drawings, A represents the draftblank proper-that is to say, that portion of an ordinary draft bearing the required vWording. On the left-hand end of the blank there are several 'series of spaces formed by vertically and horizontally ruled lines, in the first series of which (reading from right to left) are printed in a vertical vcolumn ligur'es B, ranging from l to 9, both included, these being what I term initial-gure indicators. Next after the initial-figure indicators follou7 several series of spaces for amounts, beginning with cents a, the spaces for units, tens, hundreds, thousands, and tens of thousands of dollars being indicated by the letters b, c, d, e, and f, respectively. On the right-hand end of the draft-blank is a vertical roW of spaces, in which are printed numbers O from l to 9, both included, and preferably spelled out, these being termed the initialfigure duplicates. On the draft-blank, preferably along the upper right-hand edge, is a series of horizontal spaces, in which are printed figures D, ranging from O to 9,

both included, these being what I term the second-figure indicators.

In filling out the check or draft the amount is Written on the line for that purpose in the 5o usual manner, and in addition it is inserted in figures horizontally in the spaces to the left of and opposite to the initial-figure indicator corresponding with the first figure of the amount, as seen in Fig. 2, when the columns of blank spaces to the left of the figures thus inserted are cut off, thus preventing the amount from being raised by the insertion of an additional figure. Then all the initialfigure duplicates higherthan the initial fig- 6o ure of the amount of the check or draft are detached, thereby preventing shifting of the amount in figures to a position opposite a higher initial-figure indicator and raising the first figure of the amount. Finally allof the second-figure indicators after the one corresponding to the second figure in the amount are cut off, which prevents raising of that figure.

A check or draft thus guarded as to the 7o first and second figures fullyanswers in ordinary business transactions, as there would be but little inducement for fraudulently changing any figure after the second.

Having thus described my invention, what Iclaim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

l. A blank check, draft, orotherlike monetary instrument having the usual blank port-ion A, several series of spaces formed by ver- 8o tically and horizontally ruled lines adjoining said blank portion at one end, and a vertical row of initial-figure indicators ranging from l to 9 in the series of spaces next to said blank portion, the remaining ruled spaces ben 8 5 ing adapted to receive in horizontal alinem ent with either of said indicators the respective figures representing the amount for which the check or draft is drawn.

2. A blank check, draft, or other like mone- 9o tary instrument having the usual blank portion A, several series of spaces formed by vertically and horizontally ruled lines adjoining said blank portion at one end, a vertical row of initial-figure indicators ranging from l I to 9 in the series of spaces next to said blank portion, the remaining ruled spaces being adapted to receive in horizontal alinement with either of said indicators the respective figures representing thealnount for which the check or draft is drawn, e Vertical row of initial-gure-indicator duplicates it the other end of the blank portion, and a horizontal ronr of numerals ranging from O to S) on one of the side edges of the instrument.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature in presence of two Witnesses.

JAMES M. LANSDOWTNE.

Witnesses L. E. CHENOWETH, J. G. ELLIOTT. 

